bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Zoey Zhang

China’s first soon-to-be-opened pet gym offers swimming pools, treadmills, and fitness coaches to help animals stay healthy.
A Shanghai canine fitness outlet called Gogogym went viral online recently after it posted a video of dogs jogging on treadmills.
Created by the Singapore-based pet healthcare brand, Heal Petcare, Gogogym is a wellness centre tailored specifically for dogs.
The facility features four key areas, a fitness zone, spa and rehabilitation area, massage room, and pet retail space.
Set to open in late June, the gym is currently running trial operations.

According to staff, the goal is to help pets stay active and prevent illness through regular exercise.
Professional trainers will also be on-site to create personalised workout plans based on each dog’s needs.
A job posting from March revealed that the gym is hiring certified pet fitness coaches and therapists, with a preference for candidates experienced in canine rehabilitation or veterinary care.
On April 19, Gogogym launched a dog fitness model contest on social media.
Staff said membership pricing is still being finalised, but people who take part in pre-opening events will receive complimentary gym passes.

The top three winners in the dog fitness contest received three-month gym passes, while the top 10 earned early access to workout classes.
Pet owners have embraced the idea of dog-friendly fitness.
Jren, who owns a two-year-old corgi, said she brings her dog to improve its posture, bone health, and burn off energy.
“My dog was nervous at first, but ended up loving the treadmill. I was thrilled,” said Jren.
Another pet owner, Zhang Baixiang, plans to buy a five-year membership when the gym officially opens.
Online reactions to the venture have been lively.
“Now dogs can eat hotpot, got to gyms, and even get married. This shows how far animal welfare has come,” one netizen said.
“When will there be a gym for cats? Mine is getting way too chubby,” said another.

A pet rehabilitation therapist, surnamed Yang, based in central China’s Hubei province, told the Post that slow treadmill walks, swimming, and hurdle jumps are ideal exercises for most dogs.
For puppies, Yang advises keeping workouts between 15 and 30 minutes, warning that over-exercising, especially with large breeds, can harm bone development.
“The right kind of exercise depends on a pet’s age, size, breed, and health,” he added.
With more than 120 million pets, China’s pet industry is shifting from basic care to wellness and fitness.
According to the White Paper on the Pet Industry, spending in the country’s pet market topped 300 billion yuan (US$42 billion) last year.


Taiwan singer visits over 100 mainland Chinese cities to help farmers sell produce

How Chinese people overcome challenges by ‘eating’ and ‘whipping’ the spring

TCM bar in China makes customers drinks based on its doctor’s diagnoses

China woman quits teaching to sell coffins to Europe, generating US$6 million sales annually

Trending in China

China first pet gym offers unique facilities, programmes to promote animal wellness

China’s first pet gym is set to offer unique facilities and training programmes to promote animal wellness. Photo: SCMP composite/RedNote

A dog takes to the treadmill in trials for the soon-to-be opened pet fitness centre. Photo: Handout

Dog owners will be able to have the health of their pets assessed by professional trainers at the new facility. Photo: Shutterstock

Spending in China’s pet industry reached a staggering US$42 billion in 2024. Photo: Shutterstock

Chinese woman earns praise for giving first aid to dehydrated camel in desert

A Chinese woman has been showered with praise online for giving first aid to a dehydrated camel in an Inner Mongolian desert.
Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

A video posted online shows Haier helping the collapsed camel by giving it water. Photo: Douyin

Native to Inner Mongolia, the Bactrian camel can live up to 40 years and weigh as much as 600kg. Photo: Shutterstock 

China job ad featuring ‘free toilet use’ as work benefit sparks humorous reactions online

A job advertisement in China which features “free toilet use” as a work benefit has sparked a humorous reaction online. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock

The company that posted the advertisement also listed “afternoon tea” and “late-night snacks” as job benefits. Photo: Shutterstock 

Online observers balked at the firm listing “free use of the lifts” as a perk, saying such things should be standard. Photo: Shutterstock

China hero rips open door of burning car, saves injured driver moments before blast

A brave Chinese man forced open the door of a blazing car with his bare hands to save its injured driver moments before the vehicle exploded. Photo: Sohu

Zhong Wei says he would do the same thing again if he found himself in a similar situation. Photo: itouchtv

Video footage taken by an eyewitness shows Zhong struggling to open the door of the burning car. Photo: itouchtv

Zhong can be seen dragging the unconscious driver from his car seconds before it exploded. Photo: itouchtv

China boss gets 4 years, 9 months jail for production, sale of ‘obscene’ undressable dolls

A factory boss in China has been jailed for the production and sale of “obscene” dolls. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Taobao

The dolls feature removable lingerie which exposed “simplified” sensitive areas. Photo: Weibo

The case marks the first time such animation model toys have been classified as obscene in a criminal case in China. Photo: Shutterstock 

Chinese man visits cybercafe for acupuncture, ends up in ICU with punctured lungs

A man in China placed his trust in an unqualified doctor to treat a benign tumour and almost died as a result. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock
 

Hospital doctors said Gao would have died if he had arrived at the intensive care unit a minute later than he did following the rogue acupuncture treatment. Photo: Shutterstock 

People on social media have expressed shock at the “nonchalance and ignorance” Gao showed by accepting treatment at a cybercafe. Photo: Shutterstock

News

People & Culture

Nation’s multibillion-dollar pet industry takes fresh turn that offers dogs treadmill jogging, spa treatments, massages


Nation’s multibillion-dollar pet industry takes fresh turn that offers dogs treadmill jogging, spa treatments, massages.


Pets

China first pet gym offers unique facilities, programmes to promote animal wellness

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Nation’s multibillion-dollar pet industry takes fresh turn that offers dogs treadmill jogging, spa treatments, massages

Nation’s multibillion-dollar pet industry takes fresh turn that offers dogs treadmill jogging, spa treatments, massages